roadcuts
Carved mountain passages
Roadcuts are excavations made through hills or elevated terrain to create a level path for roads.
The exposed rock faces along highways often reveal geological layers, making roadcuts valuable for studying earth history: The roadcut showed millions of years of sedimentary deposits.
Geologists and students frequently examine roadcuts to observe rock formations otherwise hidden underground.
Parallel geological layers
- outcropSurfacing native stone
- bedrockSolid stone underground
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- faultImperfection or blame
fossil · erosion · igneous · metamorphic · sedimentary · tectonics · mineralogy · geomorphology
Explosive material removal
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- earthworkConstructed soil structure
- bulldozerBladed vehicle pushing earth
- excavatorMachine that digs earth
grader · backhoe · jackhammer · overburden · bench · slope · rockfall · debris
Resistance to displacement
- drainageLiquid removal system
- geotechnicalRelating to soil engineering
- embankmentRaised earth structure
- subgradeSoil layer supporting pavement
alignment · design · surveying · benching · catchment · reinforcement · anchoring · mesh
Major road for travel
- interstateBetween political regions
- freewayHighway without tolls
- expresswayLimited-access highway
- turnpikeFee-charging highway
bypass · corridor · arterial · thoroughfare · carriageway · switchback · route · alignment
strata
Parallel geological layers
fault · fossil · erosion · igneous · metamorphic · sedimentary · tectonics · mineralogy · geomorphology · stratigraphy
blasting
Explosive material removal
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- earthworkConstructed soil structure
- bulldozerBladed vehicle pushing earth
excavator · grader · backhoe · jackhammer · overburden · bench · slope · rockfall · debris · spoil
stability
Resistance to displacement
- drainageLiquid removal system
- geotechnicalRelating to soil engineering
- embankmentRaised earth structure
subgrade · alignment · design · surveying · benching · catchment · reinforcement · anchoring · mesh · gabion
highway
Major road for travel
- interstateBetween political regions
- freewayHighway without tolls
- expresswayLimited-access highway
turnpike · bypass · corridor · arterial · thoroughfare · carriageway · switchback · route · alignment · pullout
roadcutsembankments
Raised earth structures
tunnels · causeways · underground passages · viaducts · berms